Issues
by NShadows
Summary: Companion to 'Brown Eyes' and 'How long' DA does not belong to me.


Issues

When I learned my home girl was not exactly a normal home girl I was shocked, but I figured, what the hell? My girl is always gonna be my girl.

I thought I lost her once, so when she showed up revving her engine, well, it was the best night of my life.

The virus bit was interesting, and I felt pain for Max, I really did. Manticore's done some freaked up things and when I heard about her getting a breeding partner assigned…Eeew on a major level. What were those poor people put through. Needless to say, I was relieved to hear Max had put the smack down on them.

It was a few days later when we were sitting at Jam Pony and I felt her go stiff, I followed her gaze to the prettiest man I've ever seen, and when I say that, I mean it. Men don't normally catch my attention. I knew from his smirk and the way Max approached him that he was trouble. I watched him though, with her, and was surprised to see true joy in his eyes as he spoke to her. They had a history.

Imagine my surprise when I found out this was Alec, the breeding partner. We all went to Crash that night, and I listened to Max complain about the man in question. There was something in her voice though, and I pointed it out.

"Sugar, you got issues." The guy didn't seem bad, but I wouldn't say that. If Max says he's no good, he's no good.

But free beer?? And when she gets upset, he gets up to follow her and check on her?

Yeah, they got some issues.

A few days later, I'm very proud of myself on the story I gave Normal. My don't need no shrink, but if it buys her time, it's all good. Sure enough, in she comes, and to my shock, and admittedly, amusement, within minutes, she's got Alec shoved up against a locker.

You know, they're all kinds of cute together when they fight. I wonder if either of them would kill me for saying so. Oh yeah, Max would. I laugh as they walk out. That girl lives to find her family, and no panting puppy is gonna stand in her way.

Oh yeah, he wants her, isn't it obvious?

I sit at the table that night with Alec while he gets all huffy about Max and her brother. He's so jealous. Men… I can practically feel the testosterone. It surprises me though, I thought it was just a lust thing.

Maybe it's Alec who's got some issues.

I start to notice some things over the next ffew weeks. It used to be Max going on a mission for Eyes Only. Now, it's Max and Alec on the missions.

To be honest, it doesn't bother me. I just want my girl happy. Logan's not a bad guy, and my girl loves him, but he was never into let's all hang out at Crash. Alec, though, you can find every night that Max comes.

Oh, he still causes problems. He is after all, still a man. He has women flocking to him and fighting over him. It's very sad.

The day of the fight between Little Suki and Marina something changes. I notice it at Joshua's. Alec is acting weird, quiet, reserved. Then, when Max tries to joke, he gets all mad and storms off. I don't know what surprises me more, Max joking with him, or him storming off.

I don't know all the details, Max is really protective, no matter how much she acts like she doesn't care. I know there was a girl and Manticore got involved. I hurt for him.

I see Max go up to him, and he smiles at her, fake as it is, it's still a smile. She relaxes.

It's different after that for a few days, it's almost like they're real good friends. It amazes me that they're both so blind, him to his feelings for her, and her for how much she really DOESN'T hate him.

My girl always has had denial issues.

I'm at Crash with Sketchy one night. Max ran off without a word earlier, and I haven't seen Alec either.

When Alec comes in, I expect to see Max behind him, but she's a no-show. I watch as he slouches onto a stool at the bar, and I watch, my eyebrows as high as they can go, as he begins to order hard drink after hard drink. I make my way down there and lean against the bar and grin. "Hey, baby boo, what's up?"

Alec looks at me, that smile I recognize as fake plastered on his face. "Didn't you hear? Max and I just got back from a mission." He throws back his scotch so hard that his head jerks. "Max just got cured."

He takes my silence as shock, which it is, at first. "Yeah, they're together now, I bet. Been waiting a while.." He trails off and motions for more alcohol.

I stand there a moment. "Oh, Alec…" It may be the first time I've called him by his name. "I'm sorry."

Alec looks at me, surprised, and for a moment, I see the hurt in his eyes. Then he smiles. "It's cool, O.C. It's all good."

I wonder off, back to my table and watch over him. He leaves with Asha, and I shake my head. No use running, boy. She's a drug there's no cure for.

It wears off. Max comes home and cries in my arms. She wanted it to be forever, and I know that.

Her and Alec though, they get better, and now there's more.

I come in one night, and go straight to my room. I cancelled a date with a nice leggy blonde. It breaks my heart, but I feel like crap. I'm laying there when Max and Alec come in. I hear Alec worry over Logan, and I hear he's okay. Then I listen as Max pours out her heart, that horrible story. She's never told me about Ben, not the whole truth. I hear the tears in her voice. Silently, I get up and creep to the door and look out just as Alec puts his arm around her and kisses her head.

Damn, that's an issue. He's in love with her. I see it in his eyes, in his kiss, even in his face. I back away, and I know he spends the night, but he spends it on the couch, and I don't mind. In the morning, I go out and make my coffee and smile at his sleepy self. He grins back and I realize I don't mind him.

I like him. He's good for Max, he makes her smile, he goes out of his way to cheer her up. He follows her around no matter how she treats him. He's always got her back.

If only she would notice.

It's that night that Max comes in, upset. She says she and Logan are over. That's it. She leaves soon after. I wait unsure what to do. Then I grab my cell and call Alec. When he answers, I don't want to talk. "Max could use a friend. Can you find her?"

Alec is moving as I speak, I can hear it. "Yeah," he says, and the line goes dead. He'll take care of her.

She takes care of him too. Sets him up with papers to prove he didn't kill those people.

Of course, her telling Logan that her and Alec are an item….probably not such a good plan. Alec ain't gonna be too happy, and no he's not, she tell me later as we sit at Crash.. I see him coming in and warn him not to upset her, then wander off and pretend not to listen. You think I'm gonna let my boo try to tell me this news later? Hell no!

Well, he didn't say anything. My opinion of him goes up again!

I see the way they work together, like a well-oiled machine. They are each other's equal, in wit, in physical violence (and maybe something otherwise physical, it wouldn't hurt my Max to get laid). They're even equal in heart…as blind as they are to it.

Yeah, they've got issues, but they've got each other's backs.


End file.
